In the production of machined metal parts and especially in the finishing thereof to close tolerances, as by grinding wheels, the machine tools utilized are normally provided with a base for supporting the workpiece and occasionally used accessory devices.
The more sophisticated machine tools utilized for such purposes are provided with magnetic tables which are magnetically energized to hold the workpiece and accessories in place on the table during operation.
However, such magnetically energized tables are expensive in terms of capital investment and also costly to operate over long periods of time. Consequently, a large number of precision machine tools having non-magnetic ferrous bases are used in combination with mechanical clamping devices for securing the workpieces thereto. When it is desired to use with such tables accessories, such as dressing means, gauges, lights, indicators and the like, it is necessary to utilize separate means for affixing the same to the table of the machine, usually on a temporary basis.
It has become common practice for this purpose to use magnetic bases or stands which can be secured to the table when needed to support the desired accessory and detached therefrom when no longer required.
Many of the magnetic bases provided for this purpose are rather expensive due to sophisticated mechanisms built therein to make or break the magnetic field between the magnetic base and the table.
There is thus need for a detachable magnetic base of simple and economic construction which will nevertheless meet the needs of the machine tool industry.